Curtailing Weapons Exports in Germany

Germany is one of the top three exporters of weapons but the new economy minister is working to curb exports by enforcing arms rules and stopping sales to countries not in the European Union or NATO. His actions have politicians, arms exporters and workers upset that he is risking German jobs, security and reputation. Critics argue that other countries will take over production from Germany. This public radio story looks at both sides of the issue and can spark debate about who is responsible for weapons falling into the hands of dangerous groups.

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Language Challenge

These levels of listening complexity can help teachers choose stories for their students. The levels do not relate to the content of the story, but to the complexity of the vocabulary, sentence structure and language in the audio story.

Low

These stories are easier to understand and are a good starting point for elementary students or English learners.

Medium

These stories have an average language challenge for middle and high school students, and can be scaffolded for English learners.

High

These stories have challenging vocabulary and language and students may need to have some background knowledge to understand the story.